Friday, May 11, 2012

NEW MT. PILGRIM YOUTH MARCH FOR PEACE ON PALM SUNDAY

On Palm Sunday, the young people of New Mt. Pilgrim led Pastor Marshall Hatch and the adults of the church on a march through West Garfield Park calling for an end to the epidemic of gang violence. (Photo by Stephen Dunn)

Onward Christian Soldiers: Just as Jesus carried His cross to the crucifixion, young people from New Mt. Pilgrim Church carry a cross through the streets of West Garfield Park signifying the curse of death from gang violence & drugs. They resolved to end the bloodshed and called upon God’s help in doing so. (Photo by Stephen Dunn)

Along the route of the march, Pastor Marshall Hatch leads the throng in prayers for peace. (Photo by Stephen Dunn)

REPORT FROM ALDERMAN EMMA MITTS

Civilian Police Oversight Meetings The Chicago City Council is Hosting a Series of Community Meetings May 19-June 5 These Civilian Police Oversight community meetings are being hosted around Chicago by the City Council Committee on Public Safety. The purpose of these community meetings is to discuss the issue of Civilian Oversight of the Chicago Police Department. The locations, dates, and times of the meetings have been chosen by the Committee. The City Council invites interested residents to attend one of the five meetings to discuss the future of Public Safety in Chicago. Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have any questions about the meetings, please call 773-794-3095.

Still Time for Youth 14-24 to Apply for One Summer Chicago Jobs Through May 21st

Time is running out - - so apply NOW if you are, or if you know a young person, ages 14-24 looking for a job this summer!!! One Summer Chicago has more than 30,000 summer jobs and internship opportunities available for youth between the ages of 14 and 24. This innovative youth employment program runs from July 2 through August 10, 2018 and is designed to help young people gain valuable work experience and develop life skills for the future. APPLY ONLINE at www.OneSummerChicago.org.Mark Your Calendars- 37th Ward Chicago City Vehicle Sticker Sale Will be Held on Friday June 29th

Advance Alert! Mark your calendars and plan to attend my upcoming Chicago City Vehicle Sticker Sale for 37th Ward residents, conveniently located at my Public Service Office, 4922 West Chicago Avenue on Friday, June 29, 2018, from 10:00am – 2:00pm. The Chicago City Clerk’s Office will be onsite to process 2018 City Stickers for cars; SUV’s and vans/trucks. Important: You MUST bring your Chicago City Vehicle Sticker Reminder Notice or your state vehicle registration card with vehicle, plate, make and model and VIN (vehicle identification number). No cash will be accepted. Checks, Credit / Debit Cards and Money Orders will be accepted. Also available will be the new ‘CityKey’ ID cards for Chicago residents.

Got a question or concern? For more information, contact the 37th Ward Alderman’s Office at 773-379-0960.

AS I SEE IT By Representative La Shawn K. Ford

Dealing with Carjacking – Helping our Youth

Every year, hundreds of troubled teenagers from all over the state of Illinois run afoul of Illinois’ laws and find themselves in the juvenile justice system. Many factors, ranging from unemployment, drugs, behavioral health issues, and family poverty cause youth to turn to performing crimes. In Chicago, carjacking by poor black young men has become one of the city’s major concerns for drivers. The city’s answer to stopping the carjacking is to pass a state law to increase penalties directed at juveniles. When troubled teens act out and break the rules, it should be viewed as a cry for help, not a cry to ruin their lives with felony charges and incarceration. Illinois should not destroy the lives of troubled youth before giving them a fair shot at success as an adult. The failure of parents and schools to meet the needs of their troubled youth results in today’s carjacking incidents. Now, of course, justice for victims of crimes should be pursued, and restorative justice methods could be effective in this types of crimes. Our law enforcement officials should quickly solve more of these cases. But, we must take a broader view to respond to these and similar incidents. In 2004, the Illinois General Assembly set Illinois on a new course of action for meeting the needs of delinquent youth by creating a program called Redeploy Illinois for Juveniles. In the pilot, 61% of the youth successfully completing the program were not incarcerated within the following 3 years, compared to 34% of youth who did not successfully complete the program. Based on its success, the Redeploy Illinois program was expanded to serve nearly a quarter of all Illinois counties - but Cook County youth are not eligible for the program. The city of Chicago should be fighting to bring Redeploy Illinois to Cook County to support juveniles, instead of fighting to passing a new law that could ruin children’s lives and could make them more dangerous adults. Research has found that non-violent youth are less likely to become further involved in criminal behavior if they remain in their home communities and receive appropriate services to address underlying needs such as mental illness, substance use disorders, learning disabilities, unstable living arrangements and dysfunctional parenting. I urge the city of Chicago to go with proven methods to help our youth - instead of ruining them for life.

For more information, contact one of Ford’s Constituent Service Offices: 816 S. Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park at 708-445-3673, 4800 W. Chicago Avenue in Chicago at 773-378-5902 or in the Stratton Office Building in Springfield at 217-782-5962, or visit www.lashawnford.com.

REACHING BEYOND THE WALLS By Reverend Dr. T.C. Thomas, Sr. Pastor

Frames!

Question. Has anyone ever had to go to the eye doctor to be told that you need glasses? Well, time brings about a change in our vision and we need to have corrective lenses. As a glasses wearer, I enjoy going through searching for glasses as I enjoy looking at the new frames. Frames are to be tried on to match the contour of your face along with a style that the wearer will enjoy. Recently, after my eye exam, I was shopping for new frames. That started my wheels turning. God has given us the ability to choose whom we will serve. Unlike the frames choosing process, God has shown that life in Him is the clear choice. The enemy is working overtime to disrupt the minds and the plans of God’s people. We must allow God to take full control and choose life with Him. Where we are weak, God will frame us with strength to help us live better and not bitter. Expand your framing so that God can bless us beyond measure!

Dr. T.C. Thomas is the Pastor of Walls Memorial C.M.E. Church, 200 S. Sacramento Blvd., on Chicago’s west Side. He is a strong advocate for children, education, healthcare and most of all the people of God “being better and not bitter.” Rev. Thomas may be contacted at 773/533/2721.

A Call To Action: By Reverend Charles C. Brown, Ph.D. - Pastor, New Heaven Christian Church

Love Should Never Cause Physical Pain, And Abuse Should Never Be Tolerated In A Relationship

Being in an abusive relationship is equivalent to being trapped in a vicious-cycle of never-ending fear, and without a shadow of a doubt the consequences of staying involved with the abuser can be deadly. Sadly, as of May 2018, I have received ten calls from sobbing family members each sharing their heartbreaking stories concerning their mother, sister, daughter, or cousin who had their lives snatched from them by the hands of an abusive spouse or lover. This is particularly upsetting to me because I can remember speaking to two of the women concerning their violent relationships, and during our many conversations I begged and pleaded with them to seek the means to escape their abusive environments. However, it was as if my emotionally charged concerns fell on deaf ears, for in return I received weary excuses for their significant others’ maladaptive behaviors and rehearsed promises for nonexistent change. Unfortunately, far too many men and women confuse or equate abuse with love, and in doing so they accept and create destructive behaviors that can cause a lifetime of pain and suffering. Considering this, we must understand love should never cause physical pain, and abuse in any form should never be tolerated or accepted in any relationship. Furthermore, love and abuse should be viewed in the same manner as oil and water. The two do not mix, and any attempt to do so should be addressed at all cost. One of the biggest mistakes that anyone in a relationship can make is to ignore the warning signs of a potentially abusive situation. Let’s be clear! The warning signs are always there, even when we pretend not to see them, or totally ignore in the name of love. Those little unexpected or unprovoked emotional outbursts, the aggressive or overprotective behaviors, and the subtle hostile comments that go unchallenged are all signs of aggressive behavior that should be addressed immediately. Please remember this, there is no such thing as he will only do it once, for if he hits you once he will surely hit you again. In the most basic sense, the definition of an abusive relationship is when one partner becomes violent or overly aggressive towards the other, and this adverse behavior tends to develop in a distinct pattern or continuum. Normally, it begins as subtle acts of verbal aggression, such as name calling, insults, demeaning jokes, and verbal intimidation. Overtime, the acts of verbal aggression morph into acts of physical abuse, such as slapping, punching, kicking, etc. If left unchecked, the acts of physical aggression develop into acts of severe physical abuse, which can then lead to the loss of life on behalf of the victim. Although verbal, physical, and severe physical aggression may be different forms of abusive behavior, the causes of the behavior tend to overlap. Across the board, most abusers tend to suffer from one or more of the following internal issues: the need to control, excessive jealousy, acceptance of violence as a means of control, misuse of power, physically aggressive models from childhood, being abused as a child, mood and personality disorders, cultural norms, aggressive personality styles, poor self-esteem, and both alcohol and drug abuse. Being involved with an individual who sufferers from either of these internal issues becomes increasingly stressful, and in the long run may also become life threatening. As the unpredictable acts of abuse become a repetitive pattern of behavior, the victim may begin to suffer from Battered Woman Syndrome. At this level in the relationship, she may feel as though she cannot leave or escape from the abusive situation. Nevertheless, there is help, and abuse can happen to anyone. If you feel you or a loved one is in an abusive relationship, please do not hesitate to call The National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or at www.thehotline.org. Whatever you say will remain confidential, and in the words of Aisha Mirza, “It is not the bruises on the body that hurt. It is the wounds of the heart and the scars on the mind.”

What Does God Have To Do With It? Who’s Running It? By Angie Mims

I’M TIRED OF GOING TO CHURCH

Can we be sincere? How many times have you rolled over on a Sunday morning and concluded that you were not going to church? Whether it’s because we’re too tired, too many deadlines or we’re just tired of the politics and power struggles that occur within the church, many of us can admit to saying, “I’m not going to church today.” With people like Fannie Lou Hamer, Ralph David Abernathy, Andrew Young, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. trailblazing the way with laser focused attention in relying on God and the ecclesiastical assembly, church was both the place of worship and the place for organizing against social injustices. It was like clockwork; not many if any, missed church. Why was that? Times were different. The agenda was clear back then. Eliminating slavery and being treated equally when it came to race relations was the number one priority for African-Americans as a whole. Whether the fight came because of transportation (Rosa Parks), the right to vote (Fannie Lou Hamer) or simply being able to sit where ever you’d like in a public restaurant (the Greensboro, NC sit-ins), the masses were able to come together, pray together, believe together and fight together. Now that our ancestors paved the way for our right to vote, our right to sit where we’d like, to abolish slavery and to raise awareness about social equality, we’ve lost sight of why we should attend church. Former United States President, Barack Obama says, “Nothing is more powerful than the black church experience. A good choir and a good sermon in the black church? It’s pretty hard not to be moved and be transported.” Dwight L. Moody stated, “Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man.” With a fierce influx of social media, leaders who misuse their power and the stress, strain and struggle on the nuclei who try to keep the church going, these are just some of the components that work against each other within the Black church. Not even addressing how worldly inclusion is allowed within the churches to keep membership numbers high, there are scores of reasons that could discourage anyone from going to church. However, what did our ancestors fight and pray for? Our ancestors fought and died so that we could be free from the physical, emotional and mental torment that our oppressors inflicted upon them. The only hope that they had in life was in a God who promised He would see them through the oppression so that their sons and daughters wouldn’t have to fight the same fights that they fought. Some might argue, “Well, that time has passed. They fought and we’re free now.” While that may be true, we currently have a carnal fight and a spiritual fight and many of us aren’t prepared for either. We have so many hang ups, issues and a lot of us have entered into a realm of full blown rebellion. Whether it’s because of a reprobate mind or hurt, we aren’t equipped to engage in spiritual warfare. We fail to remember that when a human, old or young, Black or not, is present, human errors will occur. We cannot allow the enemy to point out flaws that others have when no one on Earth has a heaven or a hell to place us in. When it’s all said and done, God will hold us accountable for each of our actions or a lack thereof. So, what does God have to do with it? Unfortunately, there are unnecessary politics in church. Unfortunately, there will be a scandal here and there and yes, there will be people who misuse their power…but guess what? No one is perfect. Not you, not me and not them. There’s an old adage that I often refer to, “Chew the meat and spit out the bones.” Stay focused. Go to church and be moved by song and if the songs don’t get your mind in the right direction, certainly listen to the sermon to be convicted, converted and conformed to God’s Word. We have a great work to do. We can’t rely on Kanye West and we certainly can’t rely on President Donald Trump. We’ve got to rely on God and each other just like our ancestors taught us to do.

Angie Mims is a radio personality for the Promoting Precision Radio Show. She has interviewed many greats on her show such as NBC 5’s Art Norman, CLTV News Dr. Garrard McClendon, Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant, Ebony Magazine’s Senior Editor, Lynn Norment, the former president of Nigeria, General Olesugun Obasanjo, NBA players and many others. Visit her online at www.promotingprecision.com. Angie loves to meet new people and is in a constant attempt to unite people from all over the world. If you have a great story, don’t hesitate! Email her at AngieMims@PromotingPrecision.com today! You may also call (708)-612-4864. Support The Austin Voice Newspaper and let them know your thoughts about her column.

JESUS FREEWAY EXPRESS

SHOW LOVE; YOU GOT LOVE FROM GOD!For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus (Christ) that whosoever believe in Him and receive Him in their hearts will not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).

Greetings my dear brethren: Our days are passing by and nights are overcast; we human, special creations of God continue to live a life of sinful, unrepented sins while life goes on slowly, but surely unnoticed. Nature continues to maintain a balanced algebraic equation: 1x + 1x = (1x + ᴓx); ᴓ being any large number. Grace (Pardon) of God seeks to reduce chronic ᴓ by 1 for every sinner; but a sinner who enjoys the lusts and pleasures of sins, rejects the unmerited favour of God. Jesus love to save souls from Eternal damnation of Hell; continues to be ignored by the sinner adding more sins into the boiling pot to the brim, almost boiling over. Repent, Repent O’Earth for the Kingdom of God is at hand. Grace of God is hailed! Yet it is not hallelujah passport to continue sins without Repentance of sins and change to earn the forgiveness of sins by God. Don’t bring the pre-historic (Extinct), huge animals Dinasours back into our life through repeated unrepented sins. Don’t initiate the regrets of God our creator; nailing our Lord & Savior Jesus (Christ) to the cross 2nd time through persisted sins. Show love for you got love from God. Reject and refuse deceiving evil spirits (demons) with their evil master (Satan), all who seek to steal, kill and destroy, but our Lord & Savior (Jesus) come that we may have life and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10). Obedience is better than sacrifice. Seek the Lord while He may be found; call ye upon Him while He is near. (Isaiah 55:6). Know assuredly that God is love and Holy but He is also JUST, hence the Day of Judgment. Get saved and serve in the activation of Salvation in the Vineyard of Christ; the harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Where do you plan to spend Eternity in Spirit after the first cycle of flesh on earth. The planning meeting of All Christians Parade for Jesus/Revival is this Saturday, May 12th (4pm – 6pm). Light Refreshments with snacks will be served. God bless. Call for supporting prayers at (630) 965-0256. Your Brother in the Lord, Senior Apostle/Prophet E. Dada

Dr. James Poulos Presents:

Aging and Dental Health As you age, it becomes even more important to take good care of your teeth and dental health. One common misconception is that losing your teeth is inevitable. This is not true. If cared for properly, your teeth can last a lifetime. Your mouth changes as you age. The nerves in your teeth can become smaller, making your teeth less sensitive to cavities or other problems. If you don’t get regular dental exams, this in turn can lead to these problems not being diagnosed until it is too late. If you want to feel good, stay healthy, and look great throughout life, you might be surprised what a difference a healthy mouth makes.

Tips for Maintaining and Improving Your Oral Health

• Brush twice a day with a toothbrush with soft bristles. You may also benefit from using an electric toothbrush. • Clean between your teeth once a day with floss or another flossing tool. • If you wear full or partial dentures, remember to clean them on a daily basis. Take your dentures out of your mouth for at least four hours every day. It’s best to remove them at night. • Drink tap water. Since most contains fluoride, it helps prevent tooth decay no matter how old you are. • Quit smoking. Besides putting you at greater risk for lung and other cancers, smoking increases problems with gum disease, tooth decay and tooth loss. • Visit your dentist. Visit your dentist regularly for a complete dental check-up.

By adopting healthy oral habits at home, making smart choices about diet and lifestyle, and seeking regular dental care, you can help your teeth last a lifetime—whether you have your natural teeth, implants or wear dentures.

Caregiving for a Disabled or Elderly Loved One

You may have a parent, spouse or friend who has difficulty maintaining a healthy mouth on their own. How can you help? Two things are critical:

• Help them keep their mouth clean with reminders to brush and floss daily. • Make sure they get to a dentist regularly.

These steps can prevent many problems, but tasks that once seemed so simple can become very challenging. If your loved one is having difficulty with brushing and flossing, talk to a dentist or hygienist who can provide helpful tips or a different approach. There are dentists who specialize in caring for the elderly and disabled. You can locate a specialist through the Special Care Dentistry Association’s referral directory. For those who wear dentures, pay close attention to their eating habits. If they’re having difficulty eating or are not eating as much as usual, denture problems could be the cause. When you’re caring for someone who is confined to bed, they may have so many health problems that it’s easy to forget about oral health. However, it’s still very important because bacteria from the mouth can be inhaled into the lungs and cause pneumonia. If you are a representative for a nursing home resident who needs dental care and is enrolled in Medicaid, there is a regulation, called an Incurred Medical Expense, that may help pay for medically necessary care as determined by a dentist. The Medicaid caseworker at the nursing facility and the dentist providing care can work together to apply the Incurred Medical Expense to pay for needed dental benefits.gnificantly reduce your risk of developing a tooth abscess. If your teeth experience trauma (become loosened or chipped), see your dentist as soon as possible.

James Poulos, DDS, leads a team of dental specialists at Madison Pine Dental Clinic, 5470 West Madison Street, Chicago. Kidzone is a part of Madison Pine Clinic providing care to children and teenagers in a comfortable, nonthreatening setting. The clinic provides orthodontic care, braces, implants, and cleaning, in addition to fillings, crowns, and dentures for patients of all ages. Madison Pine accepts Medicaid patients and most insurance plans. For an appointment, call (773) 287-2277.

MONEY RUN By Kevin Pearson

Plan to Plan

Have you ever wondered why do I need a business plan? One may say to ones self “ I know what I want to sale. Can I just open my doors and start making money.” This is a thought that has crossed many entrepreneur minds, but having or not having a business plan can be the beginning or the end of ones business. In early 2001, you all may know I published a hip-hop magazine that circulated in Chicago and two other major cities. The idea to start the magazine came over night. I can remember sitting on the floor in my brother’s room flipping through some old magazines. I looked him right in the eye and said, “ I want to start a hip-hop magazine.” Neither of us had writing experience and definitely no publishing experience, yet he was all in. Our entire business plan was fluttering in our imaginations. Finally in 2003, after hundreds of hit or miss (only by the grace of God) we put out a full color glossy magazine. The hip-hop community loved the publication. We were on the media list of major music labels; we got passes to just about every hip-hop event. So what was wrong with that you ask? NO MONEY. We had zero revenue coming in, and no strategy in place to get any. We were the new guys on the block, and no ad agency would touch us. Also, big hip-hop publications where adding online versions of them selves, called e-zines, yet we still owed the printer. We hung on for a few years but closed shop in 2006. In the end, we had a great product and tenacity, but no plan to execute anything. Today I plan everything, ever phone call, email, I even wrote a plan to write this column. “Remember no business has ever been totally successful with out a plan in place to make it successful.” Want to increase your customers and profit, but don’t know where to start? Let us help, contact the Voice Newspapers at Ph: 773-889-0880 or email: austinvoiceads@gmail.com

PCC WELLNESS CENTER By Alexandra T. Chavez, Development Coordinator

PCC Offers Care Centered Around YouPregnant and struggling with addiction?

With growing heroin use on the west side of Chicago, PCC Community Wellness Center (PCC) has started a chemical dependency program that offers combined prenatal care and substance abuse treatment for pregnant women. In this program, the treatment of heroin, alcohol, and prescription drug abuse is offered right in the doctor’s office. PCC’s goal is to meet patients where they are in their recovery and help them to set goals without judgment. PCC can help improve the patients’ health and the health of their babies. Patients in this program receive safe, medication-assisted treatment with buprenorphine and counseling. They visit weekly, are given ultrasounds, and deliver their babies at West Suburban Medical Center with a PCC doctor. Services are available at our Chemical Dependency Clinic, located inside PCC Walk-In Wellness Center at West Suburban Medical Center at 1 Erie Court, Suite 1300, Oak Park, IL 60302. Pregnant women and their families in this program may continue to receive primary care, pediatric care, and behavioral health care at a nearby PCC location. PCC accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and many health plans and also offers a sliding fee program for patients without insurance. They do not deny services because of inability to pay.

CANCER SOCIETY WARNS WOMEN OF THREAT FROM RADON EXPOSURE

A new report finds a statistically significant positive association between high levels of residential radon and the risk of hematologic (blood) cancer in women. This study is the first prospective population-based study of residential radon exposure and hematologic cancer risk, leading the authors to caution that it requires replication and whether it truly differs by sex. Radon is a naturally-occurring byproduct of the decay of radium and is a known human lung carcinogen, the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Modeling studies show that radon delivers a non-negligible dose of alpha radiation to the bone marrow and therefore could be related to risk of hematologic cancers. More than 171,000 new cases of hematologic cancer and more than 58,000 deaths are expected in the United States in 2016. Hematologic cancers are the most expensive cancers to treat per quality-adjusted life year gained. For the current study, researchers led by Lauren Teras, Ph.D., of the American Cancer Society used data from the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort established in 1992, to examine the association between county-level residential radon exposure and risk of Hematologic cancer. The analysis included 140,652 participants among whom there were 3,019 hematologic cancers during 19 years of follow-up. They found women living in counties with the highest mean radon concentration had a statistically significant 63% higher risk of hematologic cancer compared to those living in counties with the lowest radon levels. They also found evidence of a dose-response relationship. The authors say men may have a higher baseline risk, possibly because of more exposure to occupational or other risk factors for hematologic cancer, reducing the impact of any additional risk from residential radon. In women, who have a smaller baseline risk, residential radon exposure might be a larger contributor to overall risk. Another reason may be that the women of this generation spent more time in their homes, so had more residential exposure than men. According to Dr. Teras, “Radon is already associated with lung cancer and if other studies confirm the link to blood cancers, we think it would warrant strengthened public health efforts to mitigate residential radon risks.”

Workshops/Leadership Conferences for Church Auxiliaries, Sunday Schools, and CE StaffS

CE Director BJ Hillsman of the Grace and Glory Tabernacle Baptist Church is your person. Approaching the new year when church leaders are appointed and/or installed for the new year, you may want to engage her for such. She is gifted in this area and has led and helped a number of churches. Please call or text Markayle Tolliver at 312-697-9141 if you are interested.

ST. MALACHY + PRECIOUS BLOOD REQUESTS HELP FOR MOBILE PANTRY

Father Matthew Eyerman, Pastor of St. Malachy + Precious Blood Catholic Church, 2248 West Washington Boulevard, reminds everyone that his congregation hosts deliveries by the Greater Chicago Food Depository Mobile Pantry on the third Tuesday of each month. Volunteers unload the truck, bag the food, and distribute non-perishables, fruits, and vegetables to West Side residents. This food is available to anyone free of charge and without income verification. Each month, St. Malachy + Precious Blood serves more than 250 households representing well over 750 people, regardless of weather conditions.

In past years, the public has donated a pallet mover, tables, and bins. This year, Father Eyerman is requesting help in obtaining items to keep staff and clients dry and warm:

•$500 will install a retractable canopy

•$100 will purchase a pop-up canopy to keep food and volunteers dry

•$75 provides hand warmers for volunteers

•$50 provides single-use rain ponchos for clients & volunteers

For information about the monthly Mobile Pantry at St. Malachy + Precious Blood or making contributions to the program, call Father Eyerman at 312/733-1068 or 312/919-1610.

MT. VERNON BAPTIST CHURCH OFFERING YOUNG ADULT RE-ENTRY PROGRAM FOR EAST GARFIELD

MT. VERNON BAPTIST CHURCH OFFERING YOUNG ADULT RE-ENTRY PROGRAM FOR EAST GARFIELD AND NEAR WEST YOUTH

Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, 2622 West Jackson Boulevard, is providing assessment, support, and referral services as part of its Community Violence Prevention Program (CVPP) Re-Entry Program for East Garfield and Near West youth and young adults being released from Department of Correction facilities.

Any East Garfield Park and Near West juvenile between the ages of 13-28 currently on parole from any Department of Correction facility, or returning to CVPP communities from Department of Correction facilities are eligible to participate in the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church CVPP Re-entry Program. Interested persons should call Denise Harris at 773/826-3295.